About the Show
The Incredible Hulk TV Show is based on an iconic Marvel Comics character created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. It began it’s journey with a 2-hour pilot movie, which aired on Nov 4th, 1977.
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To understand The Incredible Hulk TV Show, we must first examine the main character’s history. Dr David Banner was a well regarded medical doctor and scientist who worked at The Culver Institute in California. After his wife passed away in a tragic accident, Dr Banner was naturally distraught and overwhelmed with guilt after he we was unable to save her life during a horrific car accident. It became his obsession to discover a way to give ordinary humans like himself super-human strength, so that this type of tragedy could be averted. Had he possessed such power, he believes he wife would have survived
The Experiment Gone Wrong
Dr David Banner hypothesized that Gamma Radiation from sunspots could induce superhuman strength if introduced into the human body. The doctor’s next move was to conduct an unsupervised experiment which would either prove or disprove his theory.
Without his knowledge, his radiology equipment had been re-calibrated. As a result, Banner receives an enormously high dose of Gamma Rays. After initially believing the experiment to be a failure, David leaves the lab. En-route to his house, he gets a flat tire and injures himself while loading the spare. This anger is enough to unleash the Gamma beast within. The mild mannered Dr David Banner has now become a 7 foot, 300 pound, green skinned, grunting monster with incredible strength!
The Anger Subsides
After his anger subsides, Dr Banner soon reverts to his normal self but with no memory of what happened. His research partner, Dr Elaina Marks helps him piece together exactly what happened when she reads a bizarre report of a hulking green monster running amok in the city. The two scientists then make it their mission to find a way to stop the madness
His Nemesis – Jack McGee
A relentless reporter named Jack McGee becomes obsessed with getting to the bottom of this incredible story and haunts Dr Banner day and night. In his pursuit for evidence, McGee accidentally starts a fire at Banner’s lab and witnesses The Incredible Hulk emerging from the fire with Dr Elaina Marks. He believes Dr Banner has been killed in the flames
Dr Banner takes this opportunity to fake his own death and hits the road in pursuit of answers to his incredible duality. He is seeking the greatest scientific minds to help uncover this terrible mystery and meets many interesting characters during his journey
“Mr. McGee, don’t make me angry. You wouldn’t like me when I’m angry.” – Dr David Banner
Cool Facts About The Incredible Hulk TV Show
- Stan Lee’s Comic Book version of The Hulk had the monster speaking short phrases like “Hulk Crush” and “Hulk Get Him” but producers of the TV show convinced him that it would be more effective if the monster only communicated through a series of grunts. It worked!
- The Incredible Hulk TV Show ran from 1978 to 1982. The TV series began one year after the pilot movie appeared on CBS in 1977
- Subsequent sequels include The Incredible Hulk Returns in 1988, The Trial of The Incredible Hulk in 1989 and The Death of The Incredible Hulk in 1990
- Arnold Schwarzenegger originally auditioned for the role of the Hulk, but was turned down because of his height. Producers wanted the taller and more menacing Lou Ferrigno. A bit of fair play for Lou who had lost to Arnold in the Mr. Olympia bodybuilding competition
- It took 3 hours to apply The Hulk’s makeup
- Lou Ferrigno had to wear hard contact lenses to change his eye color and they had to be removed every 15 minutes because the eye pain they caused was unbearable
The Cast of The Incredible Hulk TV Show
Bill Bixby – Dr. David Bruce Banner
Lou Ferrigno – The Incredible Hulk
Jack Colvin – Jack McGee
Ted Cassidy – The grunting voice of the Hulk
The Incredible Hulk Trivia
1) Lou Ferrigno was cast as The Incredible Hulk due to his impressive physique that he gained from his bodybuilding career.
2) The iconic green color of the Hulk was actually a result of the only green paint available on set at the time.
3) The show's theme song, "The Lonely Man," was composed by Joe Harnell and became an instant hit.
4) The series ran for five seasons and had a total of 82 episodes.
5) The show was popular for its dramatic storytelling, exploring the human condition and Mr. Bixby's performance as Dr. Banner.
6) The series is widely considered one of the best live-action adaptations of a comic book and remains a fan favorite to this day.
So there you have it, some cool facts about The Incredible Hulk TV Show. Watch or rewatch the series to catch all of these interesting tidbits and bring back some nostalgia for Retro TV shows.
About Lou Ferrigno
Lou Ferrigno is an American actor, fitness trainer, and bodybuilder. He is best known for his role as the title character in the CBS television series The Incredible Hulk. He has also appeared in numerous films and television series, including Hercules, Sinbad of the Seven Seas, and I Love You, Man.
Lou was born in Brooklyn, New York, and began weight training at the age of 13. He won his first major bodybuilding title, Mr. America, in 1973. He went on to win the IFBB Mr. Universe title twice, in 1974 and 1975. He also won the IFBB Mr. International title in 1974.
Ferrigno’s acting career began in 1977 when he was cast as the title character in The Incredible Hulk. He reprised the role in three television movies and two spin-off series. He also appeared in numerous other films and television series, including Hercules, Sinbad of the Seven Seas, and I Love You, Man.
Lou has also been involved in fitness training and bodybuilding. He has written several books on the subject, including Lou Ferrigno’s Guide to Personal Power and Lou Ferrigno’s Guide to Total Fitness. He has also released several fitness videos and has been featured in numerous fitness magazines.
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